Sphygmomanometer



June 2, 1925.

G. F. BEACHLER.

SPHYGMOMANOMETER Filed April 5, 1922 f0 1 MW 2 PW a 2 6 N Uwmm w W T ,4. 2 m 3 i Patented June 2 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFrce.

eeoeeer. BEAQHLER, or CLEVELAND, oHIo.

SPHYGMOMANOMETER! Application m d April 8, 1922. serial no. 550,844.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. BEAGHLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of'Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Sphygmomanometers, 'of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This inventionjrelates to a mercury column sphygmomanometer and is more partic ularly concerned with a novel'arrangement of the various parts whereby the instrument erable difliculty has been experienced with the mercury column parting in the tube.

Another annoyance is that if the bag is detached from the column tube, the mercury will escape therefrom unless both ends of the tube are plugged. It frequently occurs that the plugs are misplaced or lost.

The general object of this invention therefore, is the provision ofnovelc'losure means for retaining the mercury inlthe tube when thetourniquet has been detached therefrom. While my invention is concerned primarily with the provision of novel meansfor con necting a tourniquet bagtube with the mercury tube andv for sealingthe tube, another object is to arrange the casing in such a manner that the instrument may be supported in a verticalposition by the tourniquet bag wh'en'the same is attached to the arm ofthe patient. i

Other objects and features of my invention will become apparent in the following description which relates to the accompanying drawings and the essential characteristicsare hereinafter set forth in the claims. In the drawings I have illustrated the method of attaching my device [to the patients arm as sho wnin Fig. 1; is a front elevation of theinstrument w th the cover. standln at an angle; Fig. 3 1s a cross sectiona view of the tube connections substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig.4 isacross section of the upper endof the mercury tube substantially along thefline of 2; Fig. is aneularged view of a coupling member attached to the flexible tourniquet tubeQ It has been the general practiceyin constructing a sphygmomanometer, to provide amercury tube housed in a suitable casing to which a rubber hose or other hollow flex ible connection communicating with atour niquet bag 1s permanently attached. Such an arrangement in portable instruments is unsatisfactory in that the mercury column frequently becomes partedin the tube with consequentannoyance to the physician when placing the instrument in use. It frequently occurs,furthermore,that when-the casing is. being shaken or jolted to bring the parted mercury column together that the tube or the graduatedscale becomes relatively displaced and not tube is broken.

To overcome these defects I have provided a coup-lingmember. associated with a self closlng valve connected with one end ofa mercury tube whereby a tourniquet 8 and tube 11 may be placed in pneumatic communication with a mercury column 9 by inserting a male coupling member'10" carried by the tourniquet tube in a female portion 12 of a self closing valve secured to the ininfrequently the strument casing andtowhich the mercury tube may be flexibly connected. I have provided novel closing means on the other end of the mercury tube adapted to permit the ingress and egress of air toand from the top of the mercury column which may be automatically sealed to prevent the escape of mercury and air upon closing the casing. The coupling member 10 mayhave-a taperedportion 16 and an annular groove portion 17 formed near the outer end thereof. The tapered portion is adapted to spread or expand an, annularspring member 18 and the groove forms a seat forthe annular spring member 18, the latter being positioned within a female coupling member 12. The coupling member 12 may be joined to the valve body 20 by a threaded nipple 21, the end of which may serve toiretain the spring member 1.8 in position while the other end may serve to retain a resilient valve seat 19 in contact with asuitable shoulder formedinthe' valve body 20, A va-Ive stem 22: may be maintained in contact with'the valve seat 19 by a suitable spring member 23 ad'apted to bear one. shoulder 24 formed in the valve body and the head 22 of the valve stem. A suitable opening 25 of suf ficient size to-penmrtitli'e passage o-ii analong; the valve stem may extend to the inner end of the valve body to provide communication.

with the end 26 of the-double U shap'ed men-- cury tube 9. Suitable serrations 27 may serve to retain'one end of a flexible'connecting member 28 in positiononhtheiend of the. valve body. The other end of this connectinginember. may be attached to theend r of the mercury tube: I

Then. attaching the. tourniquet tube to the casing. the action. ofthe various valye and coupling,.members will be asafollowszeis the tubekcoupli'ng member 10 is inserted: in the member 12, the springnmember 18 is spreadoutwardly by the tapered 'endlG and; thereafter. becomes seatechinthe annular groove 17., thus retaining the end 16 of'tie male memberlO'ihabuttingrelation to the resilient member 19 thereby forming; an air tight connection between the. tourniquet=and the mercury column within certain pressure lim its.- A' projecting-j integnal: portion 16 formed on the end of the member may serve to raise the valve stem 22 out of contact with th'eres'ilient, seat 19'. A- transversev opening" 16 permits the unobstructed passage of air from the; tourniquet tube 11,

whence it then may pass along the valve stem and through the opening into the mercurytube 91 Xir may be forced gradually into the. tourniquet bag'fi by a suitable inflating bulbf 7;: attachedto the bag; by a suitable hose member W when it'will: become distributed; and compressed in the bag. The air. will. likewisebei compressed in the flexible tube 11 and in.the invertedUfportion of'the tube and consequently exert a pressure upon one end of the mercury column. Aj suitable scalefil-may be adjustably mounted adja cent the extended leg, of the upright U col-I umn' above the normalposition of the mercury whereby theair pressure displacing the mercury may be directly readl' It is essential that'the upperv end of the mercury tube be provided with a. sealing member which will permit the air to: escape from the tube the mercury rises therein, but which will prevent the escape of the mercury... I haveprovided-a verysatisfactory and economical sea-1' consisting of'a. re-

silient. cap member 34- formed' of rubber orotlier suitable material. andwhich may be tightly fitted over an outwardly extending portion 36Yof the mercury tube. This cap may have a'small perforation 35 o'f'sufiieient size to permit the passage-of air into and out thenpper endfofithe tjubei .Aj smallbit 3? oticott'o'n or other porous material may be placediin. thetubeljusti withint'thi s flexible cap,memb.er.

Q'This.porous-material prevents the mer cury' froin'reaclnng the opening inth'e seal 34. I have provided a resilient'pad 36 carried b'y a fiexibl'ermember 37'securedi to the casing cover 38 which is adapted to press upon the outer surface of the seal cap and vclose*the opening'therein when the instrument is closed.

I have'arranged the cover in sucha manner. that the upper part thereof may be released and dropped as shown in Fig. 1, thus exposing only the graduations on the scale andthe upper portion ofji'tlie mercury e01- umn. Thelower por-tioni'of the cover may be hingedfto the side of the casing. Suitable glove fasteners 40 secured to the top and: side of the casing may serve as locking means for holdingythecover on the casing when closed;

It is frequently desirable to havethe instrument positioned in such a manner that the patient may notiobtain a view of the reading on the scale. This is especially true in. cases where thenervous conditions ofthe patient may affect the blood pressure, I

therefore. have arrangeda hook member .42 on, the tourniquet 8j and a suitabiestrap 43 onthe back ofthe casing whereby. the instrument may be suspendedinfa vertical position on the arm. offthe patient. Thus one hand of'the physicianimay .remain free to feel the pulse as the tourniquetfbagjis being inflated; 7 r

From the foregoing description ofmy invention' it is. to be'readily seen that l; have provided a, portable instrument which may be quickly opened" and assembled and which may also be carried. in the pocket. It is to be further understood that by providing" valves on both ends, of the mercury tube which automaticallyseal' upon the. discounec-tingj and: folding of tlie instrument, air 1 the. other end of. the mercury tube 'WllQllGVOl the cover of said casing. is closed;

f2.) In a 'sphygmomanometer, the combination of anti-shaped mereury tube; porous plugs in the. tube for. preven ting the-escape of mercury, a pneumatic bag; a scale mount? ed adj acenti the: mercury tube, connecting means 'betweengthe .bag ,.and 'one' end of the tube inchiding a' valvez'adapted to" aut'omati cally seal the tube when the bag is discon- -nected, a flexible tube 011 the bag, a coupling member at the end of the bag tube adapted to open the valve, a casing, means for securing the mercury tube in said casing, said casing having a cover adapted to enclose the tube and scale, and mercury tubesealing means associated with the cover and adapted to close the other end of the tube in an air-tight manner when the casing is closed.

3. In a sphygmomanometer having a pneumatic bag and a U-shaped mercury tube, the combination of a tube leading from the bag to the mercury tube and having one end terminating in a coupling member, a second coupling member secured to one end of the mercury tube and a retaining device associated with one of said coupling members for maintaining both coupling members in coupled relation.

4. In a sphygmomanometer having a tourniquet and a U-shaped' mercury tube, the combination of a pneumatic bag, a flexible tube for connecting the bag with the mercury tube, a male pneumatic coupling member secured to one end of the flexible tube, a seal ing valve associated with one end of the U-shaped mercury tube and adapted to be maintained, open when said coupling member is connected thereto.

5. In a sphygmomanometer the combination with a tourniquet, of a pneumatic bag, a U-shaped mercury tube and a scale therefor, a portable casing, means for securing the mercury tube insaid casing, said casing having a folding cover a flexible tube communicating with said bag and said U-shaped tube and means for automatically sealing the ends of the mercury tube upon the disconnecting of said flexible tube and the closing of said cover.

6. 111 a sphygmomanometer, the combination with a tourniquet having a pneumatic bag and inflating means therefor, of a casing, a mercury tube mounted therein, a flexible tube communicating with said bag and the mercury tube, a valve releasing mechanism secured toone end of the flexible tube, and a valve connected-to the mercury tube and adaptedto seal one end thereof upon disconnecting the flexible tube from the mercury tube.

7. In a sphygmomanometer the combination with a tourniquet, having a pneumatic bag and inflating means therefor of a U- shaped mercury tube, a scale therefor, a flexible tube connecting the bag to the mercury tube, a casing, means for securing the mercury tube and scale in said casing and connecting means secured to said tourniquetand said casing for detachably supporting the casing with the mercury tube in a vertical position when the instrument is in use.

. 8. In a sphygmomanometer the combination with a tourniquet, of a pneumatic ba insulating means therefor, a mercury tube, a scale ar'anged adjacent the upper portion thereof, a casing, means for securing the mercury tube and scale in said casing, and a double fold cover for the casing whereby the scale and the column of mercury may be exposed upon opening one fold of the cover.

9. Ina sphygmomanometer the combination with a tourniquet bag, of a mercury tube, a scale therefor, a casing, means for securing the mercury tube and scale in said casing, a removable cover for said casing, and means carried by the cover for sealing the upper end of the tube when the cover is in closed position on the casing.

' 1( In a sphygmomanometer, the combina tion with a pneumatic tourniquet bag, of a mercury tube having a self-closing valve mechanism secured to the lower end thereof, a flexible tube joined to the tourniquet bag, and a male coupling member secured to the end of said flexible tube and a female coupling member associated with said self closing valve and adapted to receive said male coupling member, the junction of said members operating to open the valve whereby communication is established between the bag and the mercury tube when the coupling members are joined.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature.

GEORGE F. BEACHLER 

